Top 10 CUInsight Community posts in 2019 (+10 bonus posts!)

As the year (and the decade!) draws to a close, we like to take a step back to recall all the great content from 2019. Some of our best content comes from The CUInsight Community in particular, leaders and experts from the credit union space who contribute to the site. Our thanks go out to all our contributors who have written this year, we so appreciate our collaboration and can’t wait to see what 2020 brings.

Now, for your enjoyment, we’ve rounded up the best of the best this year by number of reads.

The Top 10 CUInsight Community Posts in 2019:

4 things your employees notice even when you think they don’t
by JAYNI SECH, MARKETING SOLUTIONS UNLIMITED, INC.
This summer, my company will celebrate 18 years in business! During that time, we’ve worked with 87 credit unions in 10 states, and I’ve seen, heard, and overheard countless stories about managers and their behavior. (read more)

1 word that increased sales by 38%
by MELINA PALMER, THE BRAINY BUSINESS
Do you wish you could make a change as simple as one word in an advertisement and have your conversions shoot up 38 percent? (read more)

The fine print: Implications of Fiserv’s acquisition of First Data
by SUNDEEP KAPUR, DIGITAL CREDENCE
The first few reactions to the acquisition of First Data have been alarmingly brief. A few “wows” followed by “oh, that is big” and then the typical flurry of analyst reports. (read more)

Examiners behaving badly
by SCOTT BUTTERFIELD, YOUR CREDIT UNION PARTNER
Before I jump into the kind of behavior that warrants an article like this, I want to say that I think most Examiners are good. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to work with many outstanding Examiners and support honest, ethical, and hard-working people at the state and federal levels. (read more)

My most embarrassing credit union moment…
by DENISE WYMORE, NACUSO
I offered to drive him into town so he could drive his new car back home. We barely made it to the credit union before they locked the doors. It had been snowing most of the day… (read more)

Five lies credit unions tell themselves
by AMANDA THOMAS, TWOSCORE
Being a credit union is hard.  There is no arguing with that. Regulatory pressures, attracting and retaining talent, slim margins, market saturation…there are a lot of things making our job of serving members and communities so much more stressful.  (read more)

We asked 5 college students to describe credit unions
by BOLUN LI, ZOGO FINANCE
Jake M. (20, TD Bank) “Umm, I don’t know. They’re groups of people that help bring up your credit?” (read more)

5 economic indicators every credit union leader should track
by STEVEN RICK, CUNA MUTUAL GROUP
This year is off to a strong start. Despite the market roller coaster that ended 2018, we continue to see strong jobs numbers, low unemployment rates, and high consumer confidence. (read more)

The most effective way to gain new members for your credit union
by MATT WARD, BREAKTHROUGH CHAMPION
3 WORDS! Thank You Cards. Full Stop! It really is that simple. (read more)

How to make your credit union team feel like crap
by BILL STAINTON, PRODUCING RESULTS
Here’s the scene: You’re at a party, or a conference, or a meeting—somewhere with a lot of people around. You see someone whom you’d like to talk to, so you walk over and start a conversation. And after a few seconds, they begin The Scan. (read more)

Plus, 10 More Top CUInsight Community Posts in 2019:

Gen Z is different from millennials in more ways than you might think
by KAREN MCCULLOUGH
The term “digital natives” may have started with Millennials, but Gen Z takes it to a different level: This group has never known the world without the Internet. (read more)

Are credit union employees dying for a paycheck?
by BO MCDONALD, YOUR MARKETING CO
In the credit union world, we’re people helping people, right? That idea makes a good mission statement, but it often seems like the generosity and goodwill apply only to the members and not the credit union employees. (read more)

Proof that diversity is not enough
by JILL NOWACKI, HUMANIDEI
For some time now, I have wanted to write an article about standing with the middle-aged white man; about understanding the accidental forms of discrimination and subjugation of women: Those men who will not “speak that way in front of a lady,” or who believe certain careers are “no place for women,” are not necessarily bad. (read more)

Are you an “authentic” leader?
by JIM BOUCHARD, BLACK BELT MINDSET PRODUCTIONS
“Be authentic.” Plenty of people say it. Plenty say it’s important. Very few actually know what it means or how to actually practice it. I know this from experience. (read more)

Create a joyous culture at your credit union
by PAUL ROBERT, FI STRATEGIES, LLC
Far too many workers think their job is “just a job”. They clock in at 9, clock out at 5, and forget about everything from work on the drive home. The next day the drudgery starts all over again. (read more)

5 principles for seizing a more joyful life
by JOSHUA W. POOLE, BRECO FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
If there’s one thing in life that’s certain, it’s that we are alive to be happy, find joy, and live life to the fullest. Unfortunately, many of us carry undue burdens that hinder our ability to see beyond the storms. (read more)

Watch for these red flags to spot elder financial exploitation
by JEREMY SMITH, POLICYWORKS LLC
Financial exploitation of the elderly is a serious problem that is hard to recognize but important to address. It can have a large financial impact, on average costing each victim thousands of dollars. (read more)

How I choose a credit card: A millennial’s perspective
by ANIL SHARMA, CO-OP FINANCIAL SERVICES
When I was a kid, credit cards seemed like magic: just swipe this card, and you can have anything you want! But when my parents gave me my first credit card in college (“to be used only in emergencies, of course”), I learned the more complicated realities associated with such a tiny piece of plastic. (read more)

Laughing your way to employee retention
by NANCI WILSON, UNIVERSITY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
I’ve come to the realization that if you do not have an element of fun in your workplace, you will slowly begin to resent being an adult. It’s the honest truth! (read more)

You’re building a great member experience. But what about your employee experience?
by JAY SPEIDELL, MOMENTUM
The world’s best brands are undergoing a radical transformation: they’re fundamentally shifting their perspective from delivering products and services to delivering experiences. This has been going on for a while, but workplace research firm Leesman has recently found… (read more)

We’re always looking for industry leaders and subject-matter experts to write thought leadership and educational content to be featured on CUInsight, the leading credit union trade publication. Interested in contributing to our Community in 2020? Reach out today.